Doane Academy

Doane Academy is a horrible place it's a horrible place to work the principle is the most ignorant man I've ever met so is the director of facilities and HR

The school is finally fixing up the buildings that have had falling paint, disgusting bathrooms and overheated classrooms. It is all shiny and new on the outside but the academics are still questionable. The seniors spend very little time in the classroom and more time on camping trips especially before college applications are due and the SAT in October. The few kids that do well come into the school with high test scores but don't show much improvement after four years. The faculty turnover rate is very high which tells me that there is a problem with the leadership. The school will take in anyone that applies and they have a high attrition rate for students also. The school needs to decide if it is a college preparatory school or an outward bound program. Too much money for what you receive in academics. They say they offer all these classes but your child is then forced to take an AP to fill seats. Don't make our mistake, don't send your child here.

The previous parent reviews must all have lower school children. I agree, the lower school is fantastic. Upper school is another matter. I dont know if the academics are poor because the kids are rarely in class, the teachers aren't certified or have a college background in the subject they are teaching, or if it is because the students are allowed to hand in work weeks or months later and can retake a test until they can score above 70%. There have been some positive changes, but essentially the leadership is poor and the administration keeps parents in the dark in regards to AP/SAT/ACT scores of current students. You don't find out what your child's GPA is until they are a senior applying to colleges. A little late for that. Graduates write on facebook about how most of them managed to go through four years of high school not doing much work and senior year is the best because you can sail through without doing any homework in the AP/honors classes. Or they will give you time after the semester is over to make up work so it doesn't look bad on your transcript. Not exactly preparing my child for the real world or college.

We have two children in the upper school at Doane, and are very happy. The administration and the faculty are incredibly committed to the school and the students. Even though it is a very small school and has the benefit of an intimate environment, there are a lot of opportunities for students to try different activities and there are a lot of AP classes offered.

The focus on writing, math and engineering is evident. Challenging academics. The culture encourages and provides opportunities for community service. They have a high student participation in clubs. The students are given the opportunity to make a difference. Smaller school, great choice.

Our son has been going to Doane Academy since Pre-K and is now in the fourth grade. The teachers and faculty are great, they give a hundred and ten percent everyday. The small class sizes and the one on one attention the teachers give are out of this world. We looked at many other private schools in the Burlington and Mercer County area and we felt this was the best school for our son. He is accelerating in all his subjects. We couldn t be any happier with Doane Academy.